Concordia wins five-set thriller to claim MIAC Volleyball Playoff championship
http://miac-online.org/news/2011/11/5/WVBALL_1105114106.aspx
MOORHEAD, Minn. --
The top two teams in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference (MIAC) engaged in a five-set thriller Saturday in the
championship match of the 2011 MIAC Volleyball Playoffs. Top-seeded
Concordia rallied from a 2-1 deficit to win the final two sets, and
the postseason title, with a 3-2 victory over second-seeded St.
Thomas.
The Cobbers (No. 8) and Tommies (No. 12) both entered Saturday's
title match with a Top-12 national ranking and a double-digit
winning streak after the two tied for the MIAC's regular season
title with identical 10-1 records, and their rubber match was a
classic from the start. St. Thomas scored a close 26-24 in the
first set, but Concordia - which won the regular-season matchup to
earn the right to host the Playoff finale' - bounced back with a
25-18 win to even things up. The Tommies were ready with an answer
in a 25-22 win that put them one set from victory, however
Concordia rallied in front of its home crowd for 25-22 and 15-8
victories in the final two sets to earn the win and the MIAC's
postseason championship.
Following the match, the six-member All-Tournament Team was
announced, headlined by Concordia hitters Jenna Green and Katie
Vohnoutka. St. Thomas also placed two players on the team: setter
Ashley Maher and libero Kaitlain Wachter. The other semifinalists
each had one player honored: Bethel's Amy Werner and Saint
Benedict's Lexi Alm.
With the championship match going the distance, the individual
statistics were staggering. Concordia's Green had a 20-20 match,
with a match-high 20 kills and a team-high 22 digs. Vohnoutka added
17 kills and 11 digs. Setter Amy Sykora had 52 assists and 16 digs
in the win and Alison Bruggeman also reached double-digit kills
with 12 to go along with 16 digs. Rachel Wiinanen had 20 digs for
the Cobbers, Danielle Loomis added 15 digs and Ashley Beseman
contributed nine kills and three total blocks to the win.
St. Thomas also had impressive numbers in the narrow loss. Maher
led the way with a match-high 55 assists to go along with 13 digs,
while Wachter added a match-high 34 digs for UST. Jill Greenfield
was the Tommies' offensive leader with 18 kills and 15 digs, Taylor
Cross added 15 kills, Kelly Foley had 14 kills and three total
blocks and Paige Brimeyer added 10 kills and three total blocks.
KariAnne Nass added 21 digs for St. Thomas in the loss.
The win helps Concordia improve to 25-3 and extends their winning
streak to 13 matches, while the loss drops St. Thomas to 29-4
overall and its impressive winning streak came to an end at 15.
However, with both teams ranked in the Top 12, they'll both be
intently watching the selection show for the NCAA Division III
Volleyball Tournament, will be broadcast live online at NCAA.com
on Monday, Nov. 7, at 10 a.m. The Cobbers Playoff title gives them
the MIAC's automatic bid to the Division III Tournament, but St.
Thomas - an Elite Eight team last year - has an excellent shot to
return to the postseason as well.
Complete details from the 2011 MIAC Volleyball Playoffs are
available both below and on the tournament's home
page, including results, box scores, recaps, the All-Tournament
Team and more.
2011
MIAC Volleyball Playoffs
Quarterfinals: Tuesday, Nov. 1
No. 3 Bethel 3, No. 6 Augsburg 1 | Box
Score | Recap
|
No. 4 Saint Benedict 3, No. 5 Gustavus 1 | Box
Score | Recap
|
Semifinals: Thursday, Nov. 3
No. 1 Concordia 3, No. 4 Saint Benedict 0 | Box
Score | Recaps: MIAC
- CC
- CSB
| Photos
| Video
Highlights |
No. 2 St. Thomas 3, No. 3 Bethel 0 | Box
Score | Recaps: MIAC
- UST -
BU
|
Championship: Saturday, Nov. 5
No. 1 Concordia 3, No. 2 St. Thomas 1 | Box
Score | Video Highlights
|
2011
MIAC Volleyball Playoffs All-Tournament
Team
Jenna Green,
Concordia
Katie Vohnoutka, Concordia
Ashley Maher, St. Thomas
Kaitlain Wachter, St. Thomas
Amy Werner, Bethel
Lexi Alm, Saint Benedict
Courtesy of
MIAC
